


Eyes Like Starlight

by desertredwolf



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Magic, Central Park, Developing Relationship, F/M, Ilvermorny, Magic-Users, New Year's Eve, New York City, Post-Canon, Powerful Harry, Powerful Hermione, Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-03
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2018-08-28 18:22:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8457025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/desertredwolf/pseuds/desertredwolf
Summary: Hermione and her friends decide to go out and celebrate New Year's Eve in Times Square. But nothing is ever simple when magic and Harry Potter are involved. Old magic, prophecies, romance, Fate, and secrets surround Hermione and Harry. Will they be able to change the course of the future? Or will all be lost? AU and canon-divergent. Post- Deathly Hallows.





	1. A New Prophecy

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. All rights go to respective owners.

**June 23, 1998**

**London, England**

"Harry, you have to leave."

Sirius and Harry were standing alone in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. The rest of the Order had left as soon as the meeting had finished, but Sirius had held Harry back. Dumbledore had looked at Harry with a sad expression, but had exited the room without saying a word.

"Excuse me?" Harry glared at his godfather. "I'm sure I misunderstood you, but I thought I heard you just say that I had to leave."

Sirius nodded grimly. "I did."

"No!" Harry shouted, his temper flaring. "I've earned my place here! _I_ got the prophecy out of the Ministry. I fought Death Eaters in Hogwarts. I saved Dumbledore! I finished school, so I could earn my place here! I'm not going anywhere! Not now that I finally know everything that is going on."

Sirius waited until Harry took a breath, before cutting him off.

"No one is saying that you haven't "earned your place here." But that doesn't change the fact that you still need to leave," Sirius slowly explained.

Harry clenched his fists and growled.

"Why?"

"Because maybe the rest of us can handle the Horcruxes without you? Or maybe because I'm not sure that I completely believe in this god-forsaken, stupid prophecy, and I really don't think that it will come down to just you and him in the end. And even if it did — Harry, please listen — why would we put our most valuable fighter in a position to get killed off early? And … and," Sirius took a shaky breath, "because I had a vision."

Harry stared at Sirius before bursting into laughter. "Okay, okay. That was good! Not your best prank, but I still fell for it. Are we done?"

Sirius stared at Harry, his eyes hard. "I'm not joking."

Harry stopped laughing. He took one look at his godfather's expression and suddenly knew he wasn't messing with him. Harry took a deep breath, before speaking.

"You're serious, aren't you?"

"Last time I checked, I definitely was Sirius," the Marauder grinned, before growing solemn again. "Now do you want to hear about my vision or not?"

When Harry nodded, Sirius continued speaking. "I don't know what to call it really. "Vision" sounds too much like Trelawney, so I guess we'll go with "really weird dream." In this dream, there were trees and snow on the ground and you were supposed to be there."

"What do you mean I was supposed to be there?" Harry asked slowly.

Sirius groaned in frustration, running his fingers through his hair. "I mean, you were there _and_ you were supposed to be there. It felt like a … cosmic appointment or something, and you were meant to be there."

"Well, trees and snow could be anywhere!" Harry exclaimed, relieved. "It's probably somewhere in England—"

Before he could celebrate too much, Sirius rapidly shook his head.

"No, no, no. It was in America."

"America?" Harry repeatedly dumbly.

"Look, Harry, I can't explain it, but all I know is it's bad if you aren't there. Like, "You-Won't-Be-Able-to-Defeat-Voldemort-If-You-Have-to-Face-Him" type of bad," Sirius said.

Harry pulled up a chair and sat down. His mind was racing a million miles per minute. Trying to sort out his thoughts, he asked a question.

"Why did you see this? You're not a Seer, Sirius. They're really rare and your specialty is being an Animagus. And besides, what happened to not believing in prophecies?"

Sighing, Sirius pulled up another chair and sat next to Harry.

"I don't know, Harry. It wasn't my vision, though. It felt like I was watching something I wasn't really supposed to see, but was being told over and over, 'Pay attention, pay attention' anyway. I woke up with this desperate feeling and knew I had to tell you. I'm sorry that I can't explain it better than that."

Silence fell over the small kitchen. Sirius fidgeted slightly while Harry continued to process what had been said.

"So if I don't make it to wherever this place is, I won't be able to defeat Voldemort?" Harry asked thoughtfully. "What? You don't think my specialty combined with the power of _love_ will be enough?"

"Harry," Sirius smirked, "you and I both know Dumbledore is delusional in thinking that _love_ is Voldemort's weakness! Unless you were planning on giving him a hug and hoping he feels remorse for all that he's done?"

"Don't say that!" Harry shuddered. "I'm going to have nightmares about hugging Voldemort for weeks now!"

"So will you go?" Sirius asked, not giving Harry a chance to become distracted.

"I don't have much of a choice, now do I?" Harry replied with a small smile. "I'll leave immediately."

"I think you mean, ' _We'll_ leave immediately,'" a voice said from the door way.

Harry and Sirius looked up to see Ron and Neville standing in front of them. Ron was winding up an Extendable Ear, as Neville continued to speak.

"He's getting so forgetful in his old age, isn't he, Ron? All this talk about what he did, forgetting that he had help," Neville casually said.

Ron nodded in agreement. "I think I'm ready for another insane adventure anyway. I've never been to America. Have you, Neville?"

"No, I haven't," Neville replied. "When do we leave, Harry?"

"Tonight," Harry replied. He had long since learned to not argue with his friends and to accept their help without complaint.

"America is a big country. Any idea where to start?" Neville asked.

Harry shrugged and looked at Sirius. Sirius shrugged as well.

"Try New York."

"You mean you don't know for sure?" Harry asked slightly annoyed.

"Harry, as you so kindly pointed out, I am not a Seer. Ask me to turn into a dog, I will. Ask me to interpret prophetic dreams? You'll get my best guess. New York just feels right," Sirius replied waspishly.

Harry held up his hands in surrender. "Okay! I'm sorry, Sirius. New York, it is!"

Sirius nodded. He stood up and drew Harry into a quick hug. "Stay safe, okay?"

"You know me, Sirius!" Harry said. "Of course, I will."

"Yeah, we'll keep him safe, Sirius," Ron interjected.

"Yeah," Neville smirked. "We'll keep him out of trouble."

Harry sighed. "I _can_ stay out of trouble without needing help."

Ron walked over to Harry and clapped him on the shoulder. "Sure you can, mate," he said.

"Come on," Neville said, dragging Harry to his feet, "Let's go pack before Mrs. Weasley feels like trying to stop us."

The three young wizards left the kitchen and ran upstairs, talking about what items they should bring. Sirius sat down again and sighed.

"Please stay safe, Harry."

A heavy silence descended over the kitchen and Sirius desperately hoped that he had done the right thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Year Long Scavenger Hunt — Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges
> 
> Prompt (20 points): Write about a parent/guardian or a teenager


	2. Secrets and a Plan

**1:38 p.m. on December 31, 1998**

**New York City, New York**

"Hermione! Let's go!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and allowed herself to be pulled through the busy crowds of Times Square by her two roommates, Parvati and Lavender. It was New Year's Eve and for the hundredth time that afternoon, she wondered why, or rather _how_ , she had let her two excitable friends convince her that being out in the cold was better than reading a good book by the fire.

They had lived together for the last seven years while in school, so _maybe_ they knew just the right way to push her buttons, forcing her to cave to their will. Or maybe they had cast a Confundus Charm on her when she hadn't been looking.

It was really fifty-fifty at this point.

Either way, she was surprisingly enjoying herself and having fun, despite the frigid temperatures and mobs of tourists. This was the first New Year's Eve since the three of them had graduated from Ilvermorny and it was nice to celebrate it without worrying about upcoming exams.

"Hermione? Hermione! What do you think?"

Startled from her thoughts, Hermione looked up to find her two friends had stopped in front of one of the numerous shops in the area. Lavender was glaring at her, while impatiently tapping her foot. Meanwhile, Parvati was standing behind Lavender, her eyes dancing in amusement.

"What do I think about what?" Hermione asked, glancing back and forth between the two girls.

"Make-up!" Lavender replied in an exasperated tone. "Parvati and I were discussing our Wonderful Witch cosmetics line and I said that we should add holiday themed products, but Parvati said—"

Hermione abruptly held up her hand, cutting Lavender off.

"Lavender, do you remember what you told me before you dragged me out into the cold today?"

Lavender pursed her lips and looked away. Parvati grinned at Hermione and nodded at her to continue.

"You told me, and I quote, 'Hermione, this is the first New Year's without school and you will not spend it thinking about work, like you did on Christmas. We are going out and having fun tonight, whether you like it or not.' Remember?" Hermione asked.

"But Hermione!" whined Lavender. "It's make-up! It's not work; it's _life_."

"It counts as work when you run a fashion and make-up shop," Hermione pointed out.

"I told you it counted as work," Parvati laughed. "Come on, it's getting too cold for this nonsense. Do you girls want to get a cup of coffee? I really need to warm up."

It was still early in the day, but the temperature was already cold and had been constantly steadily dropping all day. The on-and-off snow flurries weren't helping matters, either. At that moment, a rush of icy wind and snow whipped past the girls, leaving the three of them shivering.

"Oh, this is ridiculous!" Hermione muttered. Quickly pulling the two girls aside, Hermione let her wand drop out of her wrist holster and fall into her hand. She whispered warming charms over each of them, before Parvati or Lavender had even realized what she had done. Grinning, she flickered her wand, returning it to the holster, and tugged the two girls back down the sidewalk.

They had barely stopped for ten seconds and, in the massive sea of people, no one had noticed.

"Look at our Hermione! Risking the exposure of magic, just to stay warm in the cold. What? Was your coat and gloves not enough, princess?" Parvati teased. Her smile let Hermione know that she was grateful and wasn't being mean.

Hermione linked her arm with Parvati's and laughed.

"We both know that Lavender needs the most maintenance out of the three of us! If I didn't use the charm, we would have been _constantly_ hearing about how cold it was and questions upon questions of why I can't just ' _make the bad weather go away_ '—"

"Because you refuse to admit that you can and share the secret with us!" Lavender interjected.

Parvati smirked and Hermione rolled her eyes. "I've told you both that if you want a witch that controls the weather, you need to find another witch! It's not my specialty."

Both Lavender and Parvati perked up at the last bit of information and Hermione mentally cursed herself. She had kept her magical specialty under wraps since the previous year — and it was important that it remained that way. While her secretiveness had drawn unwanted attention to her, it was far better than revealing her ability.

Magical specialties, or disciplines, were normally nothing unusual. The students at Ilvermorny discovered their specialties in the seventh year of schooling and most, like Parvati and Lavender — whose magic was focused and strongest in Potions and Charms, respectively — had common ones. Some were more interesting and rarer, like Animagus transformations, Parseltongue, or being a weather witch.

But for someone to not reveal their discipline … well, that had never been done before.

"So," Hermione quickly said, before Parvati and Lavender could start asking unwanted questions, "didn't you tell us earlier that you had a plan for today?"

"Yes!" Lavender said quickly with a wide grin. "I'm calling the plan: Kiss the Boy!"

Both Parvati and Hermione groaned, for entirely different reasons.

"I told you not to call it that!" Parvati said. "Now she won't go for it."

"Seriously?" Hermione asked at the same time. _Why does everything revolve around boys with her?_ she wondered.

"Yes, ' _Seriously_ '!" Lavender replied. "Listen, it's nothing crazy. We are going to hang out and have a good time, _like we planned_. And then, you know … see if we can meet some cute boys and maybe steal a New Year's Eve kiss!"

"Oh, yes that sounds entirely simple," Hermione said sarcastically. "And which boy out there would want to kiss me, when you two gorgeous witches are here?"

Parvati and Lavender looked at each other and sighed.

"Again?" Parvati asked.

"Again," Lavender nodded in confirmation.

Parvati and Lavender quickly hooked arms with Hermione and dragged her in front of a nearby department store window. Standing firmly on either side of her, they held her in place in front of the glass.

"What do you see?" Lavender demanded.

"Warmth," Hermione answered cheekily. They hadn't done this to her since sixth year, after she had been publically stood up at the Winter Ball. She knew where this was going and hated it.

Parvati lightly slapped her arm. "No. You know what we mean."

"But it is warm in there!" Hermione protested.

Lavender rolled her eyes. "You're never wrong, are you?" she sighed.

"Nope," Hermione replied. "Can we please just go inside and forget about this? What happened to getting coffee?"

Parvati ignored her questions and protests. "Please just look at your reflection and tell us what you see," she said, gently nudging Hermione in the ribs with her elbow.

Hermione groaned. "I see a frizzy-haired girl with skin that is too pale," she said quickly, barely looking at her reflection.

Parvati reached up and gently tucked a curl that had escaped Hermione's braid behind her ear. "Well, we don't."

Lavender nodded in confirmation. "I see a beautiful woman—"

"Gorgeous," Parvati interrupted.

"Drop-dead, absolutely stunning witch with hair to die for," Lavender continued with a smile.

"With a perfect complexion," Parvati added. "But that's not all."

Hermione looked at Parvati, her eyes suddenly shining with unshed tears. She hated when they did this to her because it felt like they were lying. They constantly told her that she was pretty. Lavender had even once told her that she had been the inspiration for a Wonder Witch product. Hermione took it as an insult at first, but Lavender and Parvati had explained that they wanted easy to use products for confident and talented witches on the go.

_"You just looked so pretty and focused leading the Charms study group, that we wanted a product that could help emulate that for other women," Parvati had explained._

Hermione still wasn't sure if they were messing with her or not.

"What else, Parvati," Hermione whispered.

"I see a witch with intelligence that matches her beauty, who also has a kind heart," Parvati replied softly.

"A witch who is unquestioningly brave and loyal," Lavender said.

Parvati pulled Hermione into a comforting hug and looked at their reflections together in the window.

"And I also see a witch who has valiantly put up with her ridiculous friends and deserves some coffee."

Hermione gave a watery chuckle. "That sounds like a good plan."

"You know what is going to make everything feel better?" Lavender said slyly.

"For the love of Merlin, don't say boys," Hermione said.

"Sunshine! And warm weather!" Lavender exclaimed, before sighing dramatically. "If only, _someone_ could change that!"

Parvati and Hermione looked at each other. Parvati laughed out loud at Hermione's look of annoyance.

"I told you, Lavender, that's not my specialty!" Hermione responded.

"And if it is, do you really want to keep antagonizing her?" Parvati questioned. "Knowing her, she'd just make it colder!"

Another blast of cold wind blew past the girls at that moment. While they couldn't feel the cold due to Hermione's warming charms, Lavender's eyes grew wide in shock.

"You…you…you did that!" Lavender shouted.

"Spooky, isn't it?" Hermione winked at the stunned girl.

Parvati laughed at her friends' antics. Grabbing the two girls, she pulled them down the street towards their favorite coffee shop.

"Hermione, don't take credit for the random acts of nature!" Parvati chided as they moved through the crowds. "And, Lavender?"

"Yeah?"

"You're getting decaf!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompts
> 
> Year Long Scavenger Hunt — Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges
> 
> Prompt (5 points): (dialogue) "You're never wrong, are you?" / "Nope."


	3. A Meeting Designed by Fate

**1:52 p.m. on December 31, 1998**

**Manhattan, New York**

“I don’t care about that,” Ron snapped, his voice as frosty as the air. “We’ve been at this for _months_ now! What are we even doing here? _We don’t even have a plan!_ ”

Harry bit back a sharp retort, as Neville just sighed. There was nothing to really say: Ron was right. They had been aimlessly wandering around New York for months now. Granted, there hadn’t been much snow until just a few weeks ago, so it was likely that Sirius’ vision couldn’t have come true until then anyway. It was just all starting to feel a bit hopeless, and Harry had privately thought more than once that this might have just been a ploy to get him out of England.

“Ron!” he said, a little harsher than he intended. Ron glared at him, and Neville ushered the two of them to the edge of the sidewalk, out of the way — and out of earshot — from the other pedestrians. “I know! I get it. But we’re here, aren’t we? What else can we do?”

That was apparently the wrong thing to say because Ron’s ears turned a vibrant shade of red. It was almost kind of funny. Despite the glamours they used to disguise their appearances, some things never changed.

“ _Something_ ,” Ron responded hotly. A large group of people closely passed them on the sidewalk, and he lowered his voice. “ _Anything!_ Our families and friends are fighting that mad man back home and we’re just- just _hiding!_ Compared to everyone else, it’s as if we’re on holiday.”

“We have been doing important research,” Neville interjected quietly. “I know it feels like that’s not enough, but in the long run it could save lives.”

Harry nodded in agreement. He silently watched as Ron seemed to deflate. That was the thing about his friend, especially as they had grown older. His temper flared quickly, but could also die just as fast. Although, if it came down to it, he could still hold an impressive grudge.

If he was also being honest with himself, tensions between the three of them had been running high for a while. The endless days of research, dueling practice, and simply waiting had taken its toll. It was time that they made some definitive calls.

“We stay here,” Harry said, his voice hardening with resolve. “We stay here until the end of winter _and_ the last bit of snow melts. If nothing happens by then, we go home and talk with Sirius.”

“Not Dumbledore?” Neville questioned. Harry shook his head. He respected Dumbledore, but the older man’s beliefs that _love_ would stop Voldemort was more than a bit ridiculous. There had to be other avenues to try before resorting to asking the Headmaster.

“No,” he replied, shaking his head slightly. “It was Sirius’ vision that sent us here in the first place. If anyone can further explain it, it would probably be him … right? I mean, Dumbledore is smart, but alchemy is his specialty. He’s no Seer.”

 _‘Neither is Sirius’_ went unsaid in the following silence, but Harry could feel it hanging almost tangibly in the air between them.

“The Unspeakables also still owe us a favor, after the battle in the Department of Mysteries,” Ron offered gruffly, breaking the awkward quiet. “I know we didn’t want to call it in before, but if this fails, it might be our next best bet.”

“They should have people who specialize in visions and dreams,” Neville said, nodding in agreement toward Ron.

“Okay, are we all on the same page then?” Harry asked, feeling vaguely confident for the first time that day. “We stay here until the last bit of snow melts, while continuing our research and training, and only return home if nothing happens by the start of spring.”

Ron and Neville nodded. At that moment, a blast of freezing air broke through their fading warming charms. The three of them shivered. The wind was brutally cold. All of a sudden, Harry felt exhausted. He just wanted to sit down in a heated room and relax.

“Let’s get inside, yeah?” Neville said, his teeth chattering. He pointed to a coffee shop across the street. They could see through the windows that it was packed with people, but then again so was every other store. “What about some coffee? I could use some.”

“I hate coffee,” Ron grumbled.

“I’m sure they have food, too,” Harry responded, ending the brewing argument before it could begin. “And I bet it’s warm in there, so let’s go.”

Jogging across the street, carefully dodging traffic and patches of ice, the three Hogwarts graduates stumbled into the coffee shop. The line was worse than Harry had originally assumed, but they were already there and waited regardless. Twenty minutes later — now carrying two black coffees and a chai tea — they began looking for the elusive free table, when a girl caught Harry’s eye.

She was very pretty; stunning even. Her light brown hair was pulled back in a French braid, and her dark eyes seemed to sparkle. She was sitting in a booth, facing him with her back to the wall. Two other girls sat across from her. Her companions seemed to be looking at something on their phones, quietly laughing between the two of them.

But what really caught Harry’s attention was that the brunette was practically _glaring_ at him.

“What’s her problem, mate?” Ron whispered in his ear. It seems that he wasn’t the only one to notice the odd girl in the booth.

“No clue,” Harry replied. He looked at Neville, who shrugged. “Do you think we should go over and ask?”

The words had barely left his mouth when Ron took off through the crowd, weaving his way over to the booth. Harry was more than a little worried about what his occasionally tactless friend was going to say, and he quickly followed.

“Greetings, ladies,” Ron said charmingly. The three girls looked up at him, and he smiled broadly. “I couldn’t help but notice that you had some extra room at your booth. Do you mind terribly if my friends and I join you? Every other table is full.”

The brunette opened her mouth, probably to refuse the offer, but one of her friends — a girl with long blonde hair — beat her to it.

“Of course!” the blonde said, with a small giggle. They moved over — the brunette shifted grudgingly — and Harry and his friends sat down. He had somehow ended up sitting next to the glaring girl, who was anxiously fiddled with a silver bracelet on her wrist.

“My name is Lavender,” the blonde stated. “This,” she pointed to the girl to her right, “is Parvati. The unusually quiet one is Hermione.” The brunette — _Hermione_ , thought Harry — scowled at Lavender, who just smiled sweetly and winked at her.

“Hello,” Harry said, smiling at each of them. He made a point to try and be extra warm and charming toward Hermione. “It’s lovely to meet you all.”

Parvati and Lavender smiled and excitedly returned the sentiment, while Hermione decided to quietly take a sip of her coffee.

“My name is Mark,” Neville offered. “The one next to me,” he nodded to Harry, “is Thomas. And he’s Adam.” Ron waved from his spot at the end of the booth.

When the three of them had left England, they had decided to use long-term glamours and aliases. It was unlikely that Death Eaters or Voldemort would have followed them to America — and even less likely that they could have seen through the glamours Ron had cast — but it never hurt to be extra precautious.

Lavender leaned forward. “Are you guys from England? I love your accents!”

Harry quickly lost track of the conversation after that. All he could focus on was the cold shoulder he was getting from Hermione. What was up with that? He had just met her, so he couldn’t have done anything to anger her. Actually, as he thought about it, she had glared at him _before_ they had even properly met. So it couldn’t be that she was cross with him. The more he pondered the mysterious girl in the booth, the more he thought that it was almost as if…

It was almost as if she didn’t _trust_ him.

“Thomas? Thomas!”

“Huh?” he asked, startled out of his reverie and revelation. He found that the entire table was looking at him expectantly. “What’s up?”

Ron rolled his eyes, while Lavender giggled.

“I was asking if you wanted to go ice skating with the ladies?” Ron repeated slowly. “Lavender was saying that there’s a rink in Central Park near the zoo.”

“It’s shortened hours today, but it’s still open,” Parvati said, checking her phone. “Hermione, do you—”

“Want to go ahead with Thomas and get us all tickets?” Lavender interjected quickly. Hermione glared at the blonde, who was pointedly looking between her and Harry.

“I don’t think that we need tickets for this, Lav,” Hermione replied a little too sweetly. She glanced at Harry, before continuing. “Besides, wouldn’t it be best that we all stay together?”

There was a quick and silent battle of wills between the two girls, which Lavender seemed to eventually win.

“I think we’ll be able to find one another easily,” the blonde said, holding up her phone. “It’s not even that far of a walk from where we are now. You’re worrying about nothing.”

Hermione muttered something under her breath, that to Harry suspiciously sounded like, “ _That you know of._ ”

Okay, so the girl clearly didn’t trust him for some reason.

“Fine,” she suddenly snapped. “ _Fine._ ” She turned toward Harry.

“Are you going to move, so I can get out?”

Neville was already on his feet, allowing Harry to slide out of the booth. He looked down at Hermione, who was incredibly irritated, and offered her his hand, which she ignored. She grabbed her purse and began walking to the door.

“I guess we’re leaving then,” Harry muttered.

He swiftly made his way through the crowd, following the brunette outside and into the snow. 

.oOo.

“I’m sorry about her,” Lavender apologized, watching her friend storm off.

Mark smiled kindly at her as he sat back down, while Adam waved it off. They might not mind, but she was extremely confused about Hermione’s attitude. Yeah, her friend hadn’t liked her “Kiss the Boy” plan, but she was only having fun. Thomas also seemed really nice, if not a bit quiet. At the very least, they could be friends.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed. She glanced down and saw that it was a text from Hermione. Lavender opened it and felt her blood go cold.

**_I’m fine, but they’re lying. Wands ready._ **

She looked up to see that Parvati had also got a text. Judging by the surprise on her face, it was the same message she had just received.

So these boys had magic and Hermione didn’t trust them. Lavender wasn’t sure how her friend could possibly know that, but if she knew anything, it was that Hermione’s instincts were almost always spot on.

“Everything okay?” Adam asked. Lavender smoothly locked her phone and put it in her purse.

“Yeah, just a text from Hermione,” she replied easily. “She asked if we could get extra coffees to go. I wasn’t sure it was possibly, but it’s apparently getting even colder out there.”

A little truth to make the lie more convincing.

“That sounds like a good idea,” Mark said. She looked over at Parvati, who subtly nodded at her.

 _Now time for some active reconnaissance,_ Lavender thought.

She leaned in close to Adam and rested a hand on his forearm.

“We don’t have to leave just yet,” she said sweetly, looking up at him through her eyelashes. “We could stay and talk for a little bit longer.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Harry Potter, duh. All rights go to respective owners.
> 
> A/N — I hope you all enjoyed the latest chapter! I see you next week with another new one!
> 
> Word count (not including title and author’s notes): 1972


	4. Trouble Has a Name (And That Name Is Harry Potter)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm sorry for not posting last week! Working in retail sucks this time of year; I feel like I barely have enough time to sleep, let alone write anything. Anyway, enough of that — on with the show! Oh, and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone!

**2:58 p.m. on December 31, 1998**

**Between Times Square and South Central Park, New York**

The snow flurries had finally let up, but Harry was now left to deal with Winter Storm Hermione.

It was blatantly obvious that this woman wanted absolutely nothing to do with him. A blind man could see that. What was not so clear, however, was  _why_. Despite what Snape had accused him of being all those years ago, he was neither an arrogant toe-rag nor an attention-seeking celebrity. The thought of fame actually made him feel incredibly uneasy. So while having a woman reject him so soundly — and before he had even said one word to her, too — stung more than a little, he wasn't bent out of shape about it.

If anything, he was curious. She didn't trust him, and he didn't know why. Hermione, an incredibly irritated and strangely driven woman that he had only just met, had suddenly become the most intriguing mystery, which he simply had to solve.

In an effort to keep pace with her, he slid past a large group of tourists that were clustered together in the middle of the sidewalk, bumping into a few of them of them in the process.

"Hey!" one of the men shouted. He had a grey scruffy beard and glared severely at Harry. The young former Gryffindor barely took notice, only vaguely observing that the older man glanced at his watch in shock.

" _Hey!_ " the man shouted again. "Get back here!"

"Sorry!" Harry shouted over his shoulder, disappearing into the crowd after Hermione.

No matter what he did, it felt as if she was moving through the crowds like quicksilver. She was a determined woman on some mission that he didn't know or understand, and there were many times where he had to jog to catch up with her. Really, if he was going to be honest with himself, it was rather impressive. It was almost like she was used to blending in and not being noticed.

"Hey," he prompted, breathing a little heavily. He had just rounded a corner and caught up with her … again. "So, do you come here often?"

Silence. Although, he really shouldn't have expected anything less than that. Sirius would have berated Harry — and then mercilessly laughed at and teased him — for trying to use a line that terrible and cliché. Tonks and Remus would have also had a field day with that.

It wasn't even meant to be a line. Harry just wanted to talk with her. They were in a situation where they were apparently stuck with one another. He wanted to get to know her because at the moment, he was basically following a stranger around New York.

 _Because that's not creepy or awkward_ , Harry thought sarcastically.

"Sorry! I didn't mean- not like  _that_. I wouldn't!"

There was just resounding silence from Hermione, but this time also with a scathing glare shot his way. He flinched.

"Merl- merlon … is a word. I'm an idiot and also sorry. That came out wrong."

More cold shoulder: She didn't even bother to try to acknowledge his attempted apology. He didn't blame her.

"What I meant was … uh, do you go to Central Park a lot? Like, with your friends?"

Nothing.

Maybe he should try a different tactic.

"This weather sucks, doesn't it?"

Nada.

"Skating is fun, right? I haven't been in a long time. Have you gone recently?"

Still nothing.

"Snow is cold."

Despite his valiant attempts to the contrary, they passed the rest of the trip in silence.

 _If I didn't know any_ better, he thought wryly, running through the crowd once more in order to stay in step with her,  _I would say that she doesn't care if I fall behind. Interesting._

Whether or not that was a good or bad 'interesting' would remain to be seen.

Lost in his thoughts, Harry slipped on a large patch of ice that he somehow failed to notice. He crashed to the ground with a surprised shout. Several passersby jumped to the side, out of the way of his flailing body. He groaned and sat up. There were small pebbles scattered on the ice that were digging into the seat of his pants.

His companion didn't even bother to look back once.

Staggering to his feet, he quickly brushed the small rocks off his jeans.

"Hey! Hermione!" he shouted. "Wait up!"

A group of college-aged guys passed him, all wearing ridiculous New Year's gear.

"Tough luck, dude!" one of the called out, while the others laughed. He ignored them and doggedly continued to follow Hermione. She might be determined to ditch him, but he was just as stubborn and would stick with her.

Other than almost getting left behind multiple times, they made their way through the cold and crowded streets of Times Square with surprising good time. Barely twenty-five minutes had passed since they had left the café, and they were already at the south edge of the park. Two red brick pillars held up the arching sign that proudly displayed the words, "Central Park." Strands of twinkling lights wound up the supports, and snow started to lightly fall again.

It was almost magical.

At the entrance, Hermione paused for a moment. She tilted her head and was staring at …  _something_  in the distance. Harry tried to follow her gaze, but only saw numerous people milling about and walking up and down the different paths.

"Do you know the right way to go?" Harry asked, once again trying to start a conversation with the mysterious woman. Clearly, that was the wrong thing to do.

"What?" Hermione said, bristling at the question. "Of course, I do!"

He held up his hands in surrender and watched as she narrowed her eyes at him. Honestly, this woman had some serious problems with him. At least she was now speaking with him, right?

"Look," he replied firmly. "I didn't mean anything by it. Honest! What's your problem, anyway?" It came out a little more defensive than he had intended, but it felt justified.

She frowned and opened her mouth, only to close it again a second later. Harry watched as a thoughtful expression crossed her face. That was concerning. Before he could ask, she apparently came to a conclusion and nodded to herself.

"It's this way," she said. Abruptly turning, she walked into the park. "Come on!"

"Yes, ma'am," he muttered to himself.

Taking off after her, they walked down the winding paths. Lampposts that still had holiday decorations wrapped around them lined the way. Paths through open fields soon became surrounded by think oak and maple trees. They walked quickly and quietly, and Harry was once again lost to his thoughts.

"You never did say," he prompted after a bit, sidestepping around another patch of ice. "What's your problem with me, anyway? I'm sorry for whatever I did."

"The thing is,  _Thomas_ ," Hermione replied disdainfully, coming to a halt, "I don't trust people who hide their identity with glamours."

Harry felt his heart stop.  _How could she possibly know that!_ Then it was as if the world was suddenly moving in slow motion.

He realized that they were alone for the first time since they had met; she had somehow managed to lead him to a deserted, dimly-lit stretch of path. Her hand shifted, and he instinctively knew two things: One, she had magic and two, she was going for a wand.

Harry watched her turn to face him, wand still in the process of falling into her hand. The world was still moving in slow motion for everything else but him. His wand — always kept in a dragon-hide holster on his forearm — snapped into his hand, and he raised it before she could get the first syllables of the spell off her tongue.

" _Expel—!_ "

" _Stupefy!_ "

The world flashed back to real-time speed for Harry. He watched as his spell hit Hermione squarely across the chest. Instead of stunning her, however, the red light splashed harmlessly over her. The light of his failed Stunner appeared to be absorbed into her bracelet.

"What!" Harry shouted, flustered. "How—  _Protego!_ "

Hermione had sent two silent spells his way. The red and purple lights sparked over his shield, but did not harm him. The protection spell held. Her hand went into her pocket —  _A second wand?_ — and he canceled the Protego in order to go on the offensive.

" _Expelliarmus! Stupefy! Levicorpus! Petrificus Totalus! Incarcerous!_ "

The witch lithely dodged a couple of the spells sent her way. The jinxes and hexes that she didn't evade were harmlessly absorbed into her bracelet, which was starting to softly glow. She frowned — Harry couldn't tell if she was upset or worried — and he pressed his advantage. Suddenly, she did something completely surprising.

She relaxed and held up her hands. It looked like she was giving up or surrendering.

"What are you doing?" he asked, taking a small tentative step forward, then another. This was not at all what he was expecting.

"Baiting you," she smirked. " _Revelio._ "

The path lit up beneath him. Pebbles once again littered the ground around him, this time forming a rough circle. He tried to run, but his body was frozen in place. Magic held him, and he could feel it as his glamours were torn apart. He looked into the eyes of the victorious witch.

"Who are you?" she asked, wand once again leveled at him. His jaw dropped.

"You mean you don't know who I am?" he asked, completely bewildered. In any other situation, he would have laughed. It was oddly refreshing to  _not_  be recognized.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, your Highness!" she replied mockingly. "I wasn't aware I should know you. Although … you do seem familiar."

"Harry Potter," he blurted out. It took a second, but he saw the exact moment the information clicked in her brain.

"Shit," she muttered. Fiddling with her bracelet, she began to fret. "I didn't— I'm so sorry— Why the hell are you using glamours? Stupid question, Hermione. He's a famous person with a…" She trailed off, her worried expression changing into horror.

"With a target on his back," she whispered.

"Well done, girl," a slimy voice said out of the darkness. "The Dark Lord will thank you generously."

Harry twisted his head — the only part of his body he could move, as the magic still held him in place — and saw five Death Eaters step out of from behind the nearby trees. Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange, Crabbe Sr., Goyle Sr., and Fenrir Greyback were led by the older man Harry had run into earlier. As the scruffy man stepped into the light, his features shifted and twisted into that of Dolohov.

 _Polyjuice_ , Harry thought. Hermione raised her wand at the Death Eaters, but she was clearly outnumbered. Fenrir was grinning malevolently at her.

"Call Him, Bella," Lucius ordered. "Before they get any clever ideas."

"With pleasure!" the crazy witch cackled.

She roughly pushed up her left sleeve, and pressed her finger firmly against the Dark Mark on her forearm.

Harry screamed as pain ripped through his scar and forehead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. All rights go to respective owners.
> 
> Word count (not including title and author's notes): 1845


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